No record of 1988/89 Dalada Maligawa attack: Govt

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

The government does not possess any records of the 1988/89 attack on the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala revealed in Parliament yesterday.  

Responding to a question raised by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Rohini Kaviratne, Minister Wijepala, who represents the JVP-led National People’s Power (NPP) government, said there was no documentation or detailed information available regarding the attack, which occurred during the second JVP insurrection.  

MP Kaviratne questioned the Minister about the incident, noting that it was a widely known attack carried out on February 8, 1989, by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). She also referred to a later attack on the Maligawa by the LTTE. 

Kaviratne further inquired whether the main road in front of the Maligawa, which has remained closed to the public since the attacks, could now be reopened for civilian access.  

In his response, Minister Wijepala stated that the only known detail about the 1989 attack was the arrest of six women allegedly connected to the incident, and reiterated that no further official records or investigative reports were available.  

MP Dayasiri Jayasekera who responded insisted that details are available. “JVP launched attacks on five Maligawa security points of Maligawa. One person who was dressed in saffron robes pointed a knife at Diyawadana Nilame. Six women were arrested after the attack. We request that a report is submitted to the House on the attack,” he said.   

The initial argument popped up between Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and MP Kaviratne. The argument popped up when Speaker requested the MP to be brief on the question and the former asked him to shut up.    “You better shut up as I am coming to my question,” MP Kaviratne said.   

“To whom are you talking to? This is not the way to raise a question,” Speaker responded. Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe who joined in the cross talk asked MP Kaviratne to withdraw her statement.  The House became tense when the Leader of the House stood up.    “Many skeletons have been found from the mass grave in Matale. We have the daughter of a murderer standing before us now,” he said.   

The Opposition members who were provoked at this point started shouting at Minister Rathnayake accusing him of violating standing orders.    MP Rathnayake then said it is common knowledge that the Ministers and MPs of the UNP government in 1989 ran torture chambers.   

“We will file legal action against all of them who ran torture chambers and arrest them,” Rathnayake also said.